The present invention is directed toward a utility knife, and more particularly toward a utility knife with a blade at both ends of the knife, where each blade may be activated independently of the other. The utility knife also has a housing with a cover on both sides of the housing where each cover may be removed independently of the other.
Typically, a utility knife has a housing which may be separable into two halves along the length of the housing so that the blade may be replaced with a new blade or a different type of blade, depending upon the user's needs.
Utility knives are also known to have two blades which are retractable. The blades may be next to each other or they may be on both ends of the knife. The knives with dual blades usually have two different blades so that two different functions may be performed, one after the other without the user having to waste time switching the blade, thereby enabling a person to work more accurately, quickly, and with minimal interruption.
The problem with these knives is that the entire housing must be disassembled in order to replace the blades. Both blades are necessarily exposed when perhaps only one blade needs to be replaced. Thus, a person is unnecessarily exposed to injury. Furthermore, one blade can be dislodged and fall out while the other blade is being replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 310,474 to Bartsch et al discloses a double-ended knife with a straight blade at one end and a hooked blade at the opposite end, each blade having its own actuator. The entire housing, however, must be dismantled in order to replace either one of the blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,994 to Karas discloses a double-ended retractable knife with a housing having two halves held together by a fastener. Both ends of the knife have a blade where one blade may be hooked and the other straight. The fastener must be removed in order to replace the blades, thereby exposing both of the blades even though both blades may not need to be replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,865 to Keller discloses a knife with two blades parallel to each other with one actuator. The housing or handle of the knife must be separated in order to replace the blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,481 to Mears discloses a utility knife with two blades, each blade having its own actuator so that each blade may be activated independently of the other. The blades are also parallel with each other. Again, however, the entire housing must be separated in order to replace the blades.